The Beat

Secret World Reveals Deck-Based Skill System

One of The Secret World'smost unique selling points has been its lack of a traditional class system. Unlike most RPGs, which assign players to damage, tank, and healer roles, FunCom’s MMO has opened up its bank of skills to allow complete player customization.

Each character in The Secret World is given access to 14 ability slots – seven active and seven passive – that shape your role and determine your strengths. This is called your “deck,” and you can build it any way you like. Of course, with over 500 abilities to choose from, making those decisions can get a little overwhelming. That’s where the deck template system comes in.

Each deck template employs 14 abilities or "cards" to create a unique type of character, granting the player exclusive power and a deck-specific outfit. Check out the three examples revealed by The Secret World this week:

Witch Hunter – Templar Society
This deck integrates a variety of pistol and hammer abilities to create a character that does massive damage to single targets. Sample abilities include “Shoot to Kill,” a short-channel Focus attack that deals damage over time, and “Focused Assault,” which increases your critical chance when using Focus attacks.

Thaumaturgist – Illuminati Society
The Thaumaturgist is a “gunmage,” blending elementalism with buckshot to take down the evil. Sample abilities include “Hell Freezes Over,” which summons an Ice Demon to your side, and “Summoning Shock,” which grants you a damage boost at all summoning locations.

Warlord – Dragon Society
This deck dishes out damage to groups using a finessed set of sword and blade skills. Sample abilities include “Blade Rush,” a spinning blade attack that hits all enemies in a column, and “Serrated Blades,” which adds damage over time to every strike.

For more detailed information on the Witch Hunter, Thaumaturgist, and Warlord, check out the exclusive on MMORPG.com.